Closer Attention

First, Lord, confession. I feel mysteriously inhibited when my husband is at home! I would "normally" do a number of things, some frivolous and some quite serious, with my time that I somehow and for some reason am unable to do when he is around. ??? What is that all about?


One of the things that I cannot do, but I think I have talked this over with You before, is write here.  For me, this is important.  (I don't want to contemplate what I would do if I could not write.)  This journal is a way for me to harness my prayers and to make a record of them.  I do thank You for providing this venue.  I suppose that You will be as gracious as always if this discipline of writing is removed from my life.  I won't think about that right now, though.  Just thanks.

Hebrews 2 today: Pay closer attention!  Always.  "...lest we drift away from it."  If we are not rowing against the current (of society, of our own sin, and/or of Satan), we will drift backwards.  Pay closer attention!  Much closer attention.

     I'm not sure where this takes me.  "Attention to what we have heard" includes some poor theology or poor Christian practice, too, I suppose.  I do NOT want to focus there, though.  I think it was our former pastor, Dan Curtis, who opined that we really need to focus thoroughly on the truth and the Truth, and the distortions and falsehoods will become evident.  So, let me focus on the truth.

I have mentioned this elsewhere: The Holy Spirit, the "Forgotten God" (as coined by Francis Chan).  I read last night that there may be some evidence that the Holy Spirit could be considered feminine!  This thought makes me smile.  I won't make a controversy of it, and I will probably keep it to myself, but it apparently has Biblical back-up in the original languages.  It makes sense.  So much of what we women do and are seems to be embodied in the person and work of the Holy Spirit.  :)

Lord God, my time is so limited.  There is a grocery-list of people and situations to pray about.  For right now, I want my time to be devoted just to You.  We'll do the intercession later.  You are amazing, God.  In Jesus's name~Amen.

PS  Thank You that I did NOT need a dental crown today!

Just Relating to You

I am liking Francis Chan's book Forgotten God. I'm not sure I understand it well yet, though. Please help me to get to know You better!  Amen.

One of My Boys

Father, I promised Holland that he could count on my praying for him.  He particularly asked for wisdom in managing his (rather meager) salary.  Please provide for him in so many other ways that the cash does not seem paltry to him.  Give him richness of experience and lots of time to study for LSATs if that is what You are calling him to pursue.  He sometimes befuddles me, dear Lord, but he is a good young man.  Call him into a much deeper relationship with You.  I am quite confident that of all the requests in this prayer, that one is most definitely part of Your will for him.  In Jesus's name~Amen.

My Daughter Amy

I long to see you again, for I remember your tears as we parted.  And I will be filled with joy when we are together again.  I remember your genuine faith, for you share the faith that first filled your grandmother Lois and your mother, Eunice.  And I know that same faith continues strong in you.  This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you.  For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.  (2 Timothy 1)

I don't think Julie cried when we left her.  :)  Amy did.  Of course.  We were leaving her in a "foreign" country, and for a much longer period of time.  So this Scripture reminds me of her.  I do long to see her again.  I will be filled with joy when we are together again.  I do remember, and even celebrate, her genuine faith that continues strong in her.  So now, Lord, teach her how to "fan into flames the spiritual gift [You] gave her."  You have given her a spirit of power, love, and self-discipline.  You have done, and continue to do, amazing things in her life, and I am humbly grateful for her and for Your work in her.  Use me in whatever way I can help with that work.  In Jesus's name~Amen.

 

Daily Prayer

1 Timothy 3:1-16 has to do in almost its entirety with elders and deacons.  I don't really know the exact difference between them.  Hi, Lord.  You know that my first unholy thoughts when I read these words concern those who don't meet these criteria.  I confess this, and I really do want You to redirect my thoughts to the proper place.

One not-quite-proper place may involve women in these roles.  There is so much that we women can (and do) offer in the responsibilities that elders and deacons carry.  I know...this is an area of great controversy in the church, dear Lord.  I don't mean to focus on controversy; so, I will pray that You will show me what I am supposed to see from this passage and from this controversy.

For Julie: endurance until this play is over!!  I think that will be Saturday night.  Bless her and cause her to be a great example to others that following You is exciting, meaningful, fulfilling--and often times, fun!

For Amy: continued patient faithful performance of the roles and responsibilities that she fills at Casa.  Bless those ninos, please.  Protect all of them spiritually, emotionally, and physically from every harm and evil.

I have a slight headache, Lord.  Just recovering from surgery, I am sure.  I'm going to take some medication.  Keep me faithful!  In Jesus's name~Amen.

Today's Scripture

2 Thessalonians 3:1-18~

Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us (Paul, Amy's young charge). Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.  Pray, too, that we (he) will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you (him) and guard you (him) from the evil one.  And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you.  May the Lord lead your hearts (his heart) into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

Lord, I will have to copy this prayer into the Friend of Stitch prayer blog for Paul.  I need this prayer for myself, and for my daughters as well.  I pray that we all will be rescued from wicked and evil people...............................it's an election year.....................................!!

I do also pray that Your message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes.  I know it has reached TJ and NYC!  I am confident in You that my daughters, my husband, and I are doing and will continue to do the things that You command us in Your word.  Now please, according to Your word, lead our hearts into that full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.  In His name~~Amen!

It's All About You, Jesus

A wonderful praise song, Lord!  It is all about You!

I'm at home on this Sunday morning at 10:35 a.m. because I am only 4 days post-op.  The surgery on Wednesday went well, if the evidence so far is indicative.  Thank You that I don't have very much pain at all.

Uncle John's wake is today, and his funeral and burial are tomorrow.  Mom is on her way with Terri and Angie to southern New Jersey.  Please give them especially safe travel with the wind and the rain.  Mom gets so anxious.  I just drifted over to her FB page to ensure that Philippians 4:6-7 was posted there.  I hope she sees it.  Will You bring it to her attention?  Having sat through the seminar on anxiety with the psychologist who almost certainly was a Christian, I understand a little more that she has been programmed, hard-wired, to respond to life anxiously.  Please calm her.  Bless her.  She is a very loving woman, although bossy and difficult at times.  :)

My girls....  What have I done to deserve them?  That's the point, I think.  I don't deserve them.  Thank You for claiming their lives at a young age. 

Amy: what a ministry she has going on down in TJ.  She is learning so much about sharing her life and her faith through "lifestyle evangelism."  I don't even know what to ask for her, except the usual motherly things like safety and health.  Please open the hearts of the people--both kids and adults--at the orphanage to Your leaving Your home in glory (hardly like Holden!) to live among us and bring us the fantastic news of God's love for us.
 

Julie: her ministry at Fordham is no less important.  She has such a heart to serve the children of the city.  Please guide her in the Jump Start program with the preschoolers and the civics class with the high schoolers.  She's my social worker, although I don't think she knows it yet.  :)  Protect her, too, in the city.  Please set at least one brawny angel to guard her and to demonstrate to the forces of darkness that You will not allow her to be hurt as she goes about Your work.  Keep her up-to-date in her studies.  Keep her faith in You strong.

 My husband!  Thank You!!  He's at church, hopefully hearing the sermon and not having to intervene too much in the running of Junior Church.  Please give him strength, stamina, and insight into the work problem that he is trying to solve.  Thank You for giving me a partner with whom to serve You.  We've had a pretty great year in which to celebrate our 25 years of marriage.  He is the right choice for me, and I thank You that I waited for him.  :)

Okay, I am going to write on Paul's blog for a bit, then I think I'll go get ready for George to come home.  There is much more, no?  MOPS...Junior Church...work....  All about You, Jesus!  For Your sake~Amen.

 

My daughters

Lord, I have promised that I would not make idle promises to pray unless I actually do.  Writing my prayers is one way to keep myself accountable.

I promised to pray for Julie, especially during this week of "tech week" and hoping for a job.  She is working so hard and being so responsible.  Please bless her for her efforts to do things well, to do things for you.  Provide for her every need, as You have promised.  Give her strength, organization, efficiency, wisdom, knowledge, and energy.  (Is that all?  LOL)  Thank You for her concern for me after my surgery as well.  She is a wonderful daughter, and I am more than thankful that You gave her to us.

I promised to pray for Amy, too.  She hasn't blogged in a little while, but she did call us late last Sunday night.  Now come the days of drudgery, I suspect.  It's not novel any more, and the boredom of sameness sets in.  She needs to make it just about 6 weeks more, dear Lord, before she can come home to rest.  Please bless her daily ministry and her relationships.  Please bless Paul as well, my young man who is not yet a man.  This is such a sensitive age for him, a turning point age.  Please bring the right person or people into his life to hook him to You.  But back to Amy...please enrich her during these months of service in Tijuana.  Open her eyes to Your calling in her life.  I think she's seen some of it already!  Protect her spiritually and emotionally and (yes, I am a mother) physically.

For the sake of the kingdom of Christ~Amen.

Don!

Thank You for Don's overnight visit with us!  Please bless his travels and his life as he takes back control.